Compression-molding system and method of controlling the same

ABSTRACT

A compression-molding system in which upon a start of a molding machine being stopped, a powdery-material feeding device preliminarily supplies a filling device with a predetermined amount of a powdery material while stopping a relative displacement of the filling device and a compression by an upper punch and a lower punch, and the molding machine is subsequently started to cause the relative displacement of the filling device and the compression by the upper punch and the lower punch.

BACKGROUND

There has been known a rotary compression-molding machine including atable of a turret having die bores, and an upper punch and a lower punchslidably retained above and below each of the die bores, and configuredto horizontally rotate the die bores and the punches together tocompression mold or tablet a powdery material filled in the die boreswhen the paired upper and lower punches pass between an upper roll and alower roll.

To date, a pharmaceutical tablet or the like has typically been producedthrough a procedure according to a batch method including forming, froma powdery material as a constituent material, an intermediate product ineach of processes such as granulating, drying, grading, and mixing, andlastly including compressing (i.e., tableting) with use of a moldingmachine.

Such a batch method needs scaling-up several times in order to enlarge asmall molding machine for research and development to a large moldingmachine for commercial use. The batch method also needs a verificationexperiment for each scaling-up, which increases the frequency of using araw powdery material and needs enormous costs.

The batch method also includes standby periods between the processes.For example, compressing with use of a molding machine needs previouslymixing a powdery material and supplying the molding machine with thepowdery material obtained by mixing. The molding machine needs to be ina stand-by condition without operating during the processes. In otherwords, the batch method fails to achieve timely feeding of anintermediate product. The batch method also needs facility design foreach of the processes and occupation of a large space. Morespecifically, each of the processes needs a separate chamber anddelivery by a worker of an intermediate product to a chamber for thesubsequent process.

In view of this, there has been developed a system configured tocontinuously execute mixing and compressing of a powdery material (i.e.,directly feed a molding machine with a powdery material having highquality with a high mixing degree (e.g., see JP 2017-001081 A and JP2017-177137 A)). This system achieves supply of the powdery materialfrom a powdery-material feeding device to the molding machine thatcontinuously executes compressing and tableting.

Such a system configured to continuously or intermittently feed themolding machine in an operation with a powdery material to produce amolded product may obtain molded products having defective qualityduring a period immediately after the molding machine having beenstopped, restarts.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an exemplary feature of the present invention to avoid or inhibitdefectiveness of a molded product produced during a period immediatelyafter a molding machine starts.

The exemplary invention provides a compression-molding system includinga compression-molding machine including a table having a verticallypenetrating die bore, a filling device facing the die bore of the tableand configured to be displaced relatively to the table and fill, with apowdery material, the die bore passing vertically below the fillingdevice, and an upper punch and a lower punch configured to compress thepowdery material filled in the die bore to obtain a molded product, anda powdery-material feeding device configured to feed, with a powderymaterial, the filling device in the molding machine in an operation, inwhich upon start of the molding machine having stopped a relativedisplacement of the filling device to the table and stopped acompression of the powdery material by the upper punch and the lowerpunch, the powdery-material feeding device preliminarily supplies thefilling device with a predetermined amount of a powdery material whilestopping the relative displacement of the filling device and thecompression by the upper punch and the lower punch, and the moldingmachine is subsequently started to cause the relative displacement ofthe filling device and the compression by the upper punch and the lowerpunch. Such a configuration achieves production of a molded producthaving required quality from the period immediately after the moldingmachine starts.

A powdery material is an aggregate of minute solids and conceptuallyincludes an aggregate of particles such as so-called “granules” and anaggregate of powder smaller than such particles. Examples of the powderymaterial include a powdery material containing a principal agent (i.e.,a main ingredient or an active ingredient), an excipient appropriatelyincreasing volume and weight of a molded product, a lubricant preventingthe powdery material from adhering to a die bore or a punch, a binderbinding particles of the powdery material, starch serving as adisintegrant absorbing moisture to enable easy disintegration of themolded product, and an additive exemplified by a stabilizer stabilizingquality like crystalline cellulose or a carbonate, or a preservativeprolonging shelf life. The powdery material according to the exemplaryinvention also includes a mixture of two or more types of powderymaterials, and a mixture of a powdery principal agent and a powderyadditive.

Optionally, upon start of the molding machine being stopped, thepowdery-material feeding device supplies the filling device with thepredetermined amount of the powdery material in batches and the moldingmachine, and the molding machine is subsequently started. Defectivenessof a molded product can be more reliably avoided during the periodimmediately after the molding machine starts.

Optionally, the powdery-material feeding device is configured tocontinuously or intermittently feed the filling device withmixed-powdery materials including a plurality of types of powderymaterials while the molding machine is in an operation without stoppinga relative displacement of the filling device and a compression by theupper punch and the lower punch, and upon start of the molding machinebeing stopped, the powdery-material feeding device supplies the fillingdevice with a predetermined amount of the mixed-powdery materialsincluding the plurality of types of the powdery materials, and themolding machine is subsequently started. A molded product made of aconstituent material as a mixture of the plurality of types of powderymaterials and having required quality can be produced from the periodimmediately after the molding machine starts.

Optionally, the powdery-material feeding device includes a measuringfeeder configured to store and discharge a powdery material serving as aprincipal agent, and a separate measuring feeder configured to store anddischarge an additive to the principal agent, and is configured to mixthe principal agent and the additive at predetermined ratios to feed thefilling device, and upon start of the molding machine being stopped, thepowdery-material feeding device supplies the filling device with apredetermined amount of powdery materials including the principal agentand the additive mixed at the predetermined ratios, and the moldingmachine is subsequently started. This system achieves efficientproduction of a molded product such as a pharmaceutical tablet havingappropriate content ratios of the principal agent and the additive.

The exemplary invention also provides a method of controlling acompression-molding system including a compression-molding machineincluding a table having a vertically penetrating die bore, a fillingdevice facing the die bore of the table and configured to be displacedrelatively to the table and fill, with a powdery material, the die borepassing vertically below the filling device, and an upper punch and alower punch configured to compress the powdery material filled in thedie bore to obtain a molded product, and a powdery-material feedingdevice configured to feed, with a powdery material, the filling devicein the molding machine in an operation, in which upon start of themolding machine having stopped a relative displacement of the fillingdevice to the table and stopped a compression of the powdery material bythe upper punch and the lower punch, the powdery-material feeding devicepreliminarily supplies the filling device with a predetermined amount ofa powdery material while stopping the relative displacement of thefilling device and the compression by the upper punch and the lowerpunch, and the molding machine is subsequently started to cause therelative displacement of the filling device and the compression by theupper punch and the lower punch.

The exemplary invention avoids or inhibits defectiveness of a moldedproduct produced during a period immediately after a molding machinestarts.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The exemplary aspects of the invention will be better understood fromthe following detailed description of the exemplary embodiments of theinvention with reference to the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side sectional view of a rotary compression-molding machineaccording to an exemplary embodiment of the exemplary invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a main part of the rotary compression-moldingmachine according to the exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a cylindrical view of the rotary compression-molding machineaccording to the exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a powdery material-mixing and feedingdevice according to the exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a side view of the powdery material-mixing and feeding deviceaccording to the exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 6 is a side sectional view of a vertical mixer included in thepowdery material-mixing and feeding device according to the exemplaryembodiment;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged side sectional view of a main part of the verticalmixer according to the exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 8 is a side sectional view of another exemplary vertical mixer;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of an agitation shaft and an agitatingrotor (second mixing member) of a horizontal mixer included in thepowdery material-mixing and feeding device according to the exemplaryembodiment;

FIG. 10 is a side view of a main part of the powdery material-mixing andfeeding device according to the exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the main part of the powderymaterial-mixing and feeding device according to the exemplaryembodiment;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a main part of a powdery materialmixing degree measurement device according to the exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 13 is a plan view of the main part of the powdery material mixingdegree measurement device according to the exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a case of the powdery material mixingdegree measurement device according to the exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a drive body of the powdery materialmixing degree measurement device according to the exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 16 is a block diagram of a control system in a system according tothe exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 17 is a plan view of a main part including a mounting position of arotary encoder in the rotary compression-molding machine according tothe exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 18 is a configuration diagram of a roll and a load cell included inthe rotary compression-molding machine according to the exemplaryembodiment;

FIG. 19 is an enlarged plan view of a main part of a spray device in therotary compression-molding machine according to the exemplaryembodiment;

FIG. 20 is a side sectional view of the main part of the spray device inthe rotary compression-molding machine according to the exemplaryembodiment;

FIG. 21 is a flowchart showing an exemplary procedure of processingexecuted upon starting the rotary compression-molding machine accordingto the exemplary embodiment; and

FIG. 22 is a side view of a main part of a powdery material-mixing andfeeding device according to a modification example of the exemplaryinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT

An exemplary embodiment of the invention will now be described withreference to the drawings. Initially described is an overview of anentire rotary compression-molding machine (hereinafter, referred to asthe “molding machine”) according to the embodiment. As shown exemplarilyin FIG. 1, the molding machine includes a frame 1 accommodating anupright shaft 2 that functions as a rotary shaft, and a turret 3 that isattached to a connection portion 21 disposed at the top of the uprightshaft 2. A worm wheel 7 is attached to the lower end of the uprightshaft 2. The worm wheel 7 meshes with a worm gear 10. The worm gear 10is fixed to a gear shaft 9 that is driven by a motor 8. Drive poweroutputted from the motor 8 is transmitted to the gear shaft 9 by way ofa belt 11, so as to rotate the upright shaft 2 by way of the worm gear10 and the worm wheel 7. Rotation of the upright shaft 2 causes rotationof the turret 3 and upper and lower punches 5 and 6.

The turret 3 horizontally rotates about the upright shaft 2, and morespecifically, spins. The turret 3 includes a table (e.g., die disc) 31,an upper punch-retaining portion 32, and a lower punch-retaining portion33. As shown exemplarily in FIG. 2, the table 31 has a substantiallycircular disc shape, and has a plurality of die bores 4 that is disposedin an outer circumferential portion and is aligned in a direction ofrotation at predetermined intervals. Each of the die bores 4 verticallypenetrates the table 31. The table 31 can alternatively include aplurality of divided plates. Instead of the die bores 4 formed directlyin the table 31, a die member including the die bores 4 can be attachedto the table 31.

The upper and lower punches 5 and 6 are disposed above and below each ofthe die bores 4 and are individually vertically slidable along the diebores 4. The upper punch-retaining portion 32 retains upper punch trunks52 while the lower punch-retaining portion 33 retains lower punch trunks62. The upper punches 5 each have a tip 53 that enters and exitscorresponding one of the die bores 4. The lower punches 6 each have atip 63 that is kept inserted in corresponding one of the die bores 4.The upper and lower punches 5 and 6 horizontally rotate about theupright shaft 2 along with the turret 3, more specifically, revolve.

As shown exemplarily in FIG. 17, the gear shaft 9 has an end connected,via a reduction gear 24, with a rotary encoder 23 configured to detect arotation angle and a rotational speed of the gear shaft 9 as well as(the table 31, the die bores 4, and the punches 5 and 6 of) the turret3. The rotary encoder 23 outputs a pulse signal every time the gearshaft 9 rotates by a predetermined angle. Upon receipt of a train of thepulse signals, a controller C included in a system according to theexemplary embodiment is configured to detect the rotation angle and therotational speed of the turret 3, (i.e., find a current position of eachof the die bores 4 on the table 31.) Examples of the controller C shownexemplarily in FIG. 16 include a microcomputer system including aprocessor, a memory, an auxiliary storage device, an input/outputinterface, a programmable controller, a general-purpose personalcomputer, and a work station. The reduction gear 24 reduces therotational speed of the gear shaft 9 to be adapted to input speed of therotary encoder 23 and transmits the reduced rotational speed to therotary encoder 23.

A feeder X functioning as a filling device is provided to fill the diebores 4 of the turret 3 with a powdery material. The feeder X can be agravity feeder configured to simply drop a powdery material into the diebores 4 or an agitated feeder configured to drop, into the die bores 4,a powdery material being agitated by rotating an incorporated agitatingrotor. The exemplary embodiment assumes that the feeder X is theagitated feeder. The feeder X is positioned on the outer circumferentialportion of the rotating table 31, particularly, just above a revolutionorbit of the die bores 4. The table 31 rotating along with the turret 3causes the feeder X to be displaced relatively to the table 31 and thedie bores 4.

A powdery material is fed to the feeder X from a powdery material feedpipe 191 (shown in FIGS. 10 and 11) functioning as a discharger M6 of apowdery material mixing degree measurement device M. A buffer tank Z3 bis applied to feed a feeding unit M5 of the powdery material mixingdegree measurement device M with a powdery material.

A spray device Y is configured to spray an external lubricant towardinner circumferential surfaces of the die bores 4, upper end surfaces ofthe tips 63 of the lower punches 6, and lower end surfaces of the tips53 of the upper punches 5. The lubricant prevents binding of part of apowdery material adhering to the inner circumference of the die bore 4and sticking of part of the powdery material adhering to the tip 53 or63 of the punch 5 or 6 (both of which cause a scratch, roughness, orchipping of a product). Examples of the lubricant include wax made ofmetal stearate (particularly magnesium stearate) or the like, and talc.

As shown exemplarily in FIG. 19, the spray device Y includes, as itselements, a downward spray nozzle Y1 configured to guide a lubricant fedfrom an external lubricant feeding device (not shown) and to spray thelubricant toward the die bore 4 and the upper end surface of the tip 63of the lower punch 6, an upward spray nozzle Y2 configured to guide alubricant fed from the lubricant feeding device and to spray thelubricant toward the lower end surface of the tip 53 of the upper punch5, a purging suction duct Y3 configured to suck an excessive lubricantor the like not adhering to the die bore 4 or the tip 53 or 63 of thepunch 5 or 6 and to discharge the sucked lubricant or the like (thelubricant may be fed back to the lubricant feeding device) and a case Y4retaining the downward spray nozzle Y1, the upward spray nozzle Y2, andthe suction duct Y3.

As shown exemplarily in FIG. 20, the downward spray nozzle Y1 has adistribution pipe Y11 bored in a block made of a fluororesin(particularly polytetrafluoroethylene) so as to extend in asubstantially horizontal direction, and a spray port Y12 formed bybending downward the terminal end of the distribution pipe Y11 so as tobe opened to the lower surface of the block. The distribution pipe Y11and the spray port Y12 have inner surfaces as flat surfaces of thefluororesin, thereby smoothing distribution and spraying of thelubricant. The downward spray nozzle Y1 has a static electricitygeneration electrode Y13 buried therein. The static electricitygeneration electrode Y13 has a distal end in a needle or a taperedshape, which protrudes in an area near the spray port Y12. The staticelectricity generation electrode Y13 receives a high DC voltage of about−20 kV, and forcibly electrostatically charges the lubricant immediatelybefore being sprayed with an electric field concentrated at the distalend thereof.

The upward spray nozzle Y2 is structured such that the downward spraynozzle Y1 shown exemplarily in FIG. 20 is placed upside down. Morespecifically, the upward spray nozzle Y2 has a distribution pipe formedby boring a hole in a block made of a fluororesin and extending in asubstantially horizontal direction, and a spray port Y22 formed bybending upward the terminal end of the distribution pipe so as to beopened to the upper surface of the block. The upward spray nozzle Y2also has a static electricity generation electrode buried therein. Thestatic electricity generation electrode has a distal end in a needle ortapered shape, which protrudes in an area near the spray port Y22.

The suction duct Y3 is disposed at a level to face a side of the tip 53of the upper punch 5. The suction duct Y3 has an opening portion fixedto the case Y4 and communicating with an internal space of the case Y4.

The case Y4 is a box that is made of a fluororesin and mostly covers thedownward spray nozzle Y1 and the upward spray nozzle Y2 so as to preventrandom dispersion of the lubricant. The case Y4 is electricallyinsulated from the turret 3 and the spray nozzles Y1 and Y2. The case Y4has an air curtain Y41 of compressed air brown out substantially in ahorizontal direction toward the opening of the suction duct Y3. The aircurtain Y41 forms an air flow near the tip 53 of the upper punch 5, andprevents upward scatter of the lubricant that is sprayed from the upwardspray nozzle Y2 toward the tip 53 of the upper punch 5.

The external lubricant feeding device includes a μR feeder (manufacturedby NISSHIN ENGINEERING INC.) configured to eject the lubricantaccurately and stably little by little through a filling roll of athin-groove filling type and pneumatically feed the ejected lubricantalong with pressurized air.

The lubricant fed from the lubricant feeding device is divided into thedownward spray nozzle Y1 and the upward spray nozzle Y2, flows throughthe distribution pipes in the nozzles Y1 and Y2, and is sprayed out ofthe spray ports Y12 and Y22. The lubricant being sprayed is forciblyelectrostatically charged. The die bore 4 and the punches 5 and 6 aregrounded via the ground of the turret 3. The electrostatically chargedlubricant strongly adheres to the inner circumferential surface of thedie bore 4, the upper end surface of the tip 63 of the lower punch 6,and the lower end surface of the tip 53 of the upper punch 5, which aremetal surfaces. The lubricant having adhered is not separated byvibration caused by vertical motion of the punches 5 and 6 or by windpressure caused by rapid rotation of the turret 3, is pressed stronglyagainst a powdery material simultaneously when the punches 5 and 6compression mold the powdery material, and is transferred from the diebore 4 and the tips 53 and 63 of the punches 5 and 6 to adhere to atablet.

As shown exemplarily in FIG. 3, a preliminary compression upper roll 12,a preliminary compression lower roll 13, a substantial compression upperroll 14, and a substantial compression lower roll 15 are disposed onorbits of the upper and lower punches 5 and 6 that revolve about theupright shaft 2. The preliminary compression upper roll 12 and thepreliminary compression lower roll 13, as well as the substantialcompression upper roll 14 and the substantial compression lower roll 15,are respectively paired in the vertical direction so as to sandwich theupper and lower punches 5 and 6. The preliminary compression upper roll12 and the substantial compression upper roll 14 each press a head 51 ofeach of the upper punches 5, and the preliminary compression lower roll13 and the substantial compression lower roll 15 each press a head 61 ofeach of the lower punches 6. The preliminary compression upper roll 12and the preliminary compression lower roll 13, as well as thesubstantial compression upper roll 14 and the substantial compressionlower roll 15, bias the upper and lower punches 5 and 6 to come closerto each other, so that end surfaces of the tips 53 and 63 compress fromabove and below a powdery material filled in the die bores 4.

The upper and lower punches 5 and 6 have the heads 51 and 61 pressed bythe rolls 12, 13, 14, and 15, and the trunks 52 and 62 smaller indiameter than the heads 51 and 61. The upper punch-retaining portion 32of the turret 3 vertically slidably retains the trunks 52 of the upperpunches 5, whereas the lower punch-retaining portion 33 verticallyslidably retains the trunks 62 of the lower punches 6. The tips 53 and63 of the trunks 52 and 62 are thinner than the remaining portions andare substantially equal in diameter to an inner diameter of the diebores 4 so as to be inserted to the die bores 4. The punches 5 and 6revolve to cause the rolls 12, 13, 14, and 15 to come closer to theheads 51 and 61 of the punches 5 and 6. The rolls 12, 13, 14, and 15come into contact with the heads 51 and 61 so as to step thereonto. Therolls 12, 13, 14, and 15 further press the upper punches 5 downward andpress the lower punches 6 upward. While the rolls 12, 13, 14, and 15 arein contact with flat surfaces of the punches 5 and 6, the punches 5 and6 keep applying required pressure to a powdery material in the die bores4.

As shown exemplarily in FIG. 18, the upper rolls 12 and 14 of themolding machine each have a load cell 25 configured to detect pressureapplied to compress the powdery material in the die bore 4 by the rolls12, 13, 14, and 15 via the punches 5 and 6. The controller C receives asignal transmitted from each of the load cells 25 disposed at the rolls12 13, 14, and 15 to find a magnitude of pressure applied to compressthe powdery material by the preliminarily compression rolls 12 and 13(i.e., preliminary compression pressure) and a magnitude of pressureapplied to compress the powdery material by the substantial compressionrolls 14 and 15 (i.e., substantial compression pressure). The signalsoutputted from the load cells 25 form a pulse signal train having a peakwhen each of the pairs of punches 5 and 6 compresses the powderymaterial in a corresponding one of the die bores 4 with a maximumpressure. The controller C counts the number of pulse signal trains tofind the number of molded products produced by the molding machine perunit time.

A molded-product collector is disposed downstream, in the direction ofrotation of the turret 3 and the punches 5 and 6, of the position wherethe substantial compression upper roll 14 and the substantialcompression lower roll 15 apply pressure. This molded-product collectorincludes a guide member 17 configured to guide a molded product pushedout of each of the die bores 4. The guide member 17 extends to have aproximal end located at a molded-product collecting position 18 and adistal end located closer to the center of the table 31 than a rotationlocus of the die bores 4. A molded product pushed out of each of the diebores 4 by the corresponding lower punch 6 comes into contact with theguide member 17 and moves toward the molded-product collecting position18.

Vertical motion of the upper and lower punches 5 and 6 are caused by camrails R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, and R6. The rails R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, and R6extend along the direction of rotation (i.e., revolution) of the punches5 and 6, and are engaged with the heads 51 and 61 of the punches 5 and 6to guide and vertically move the punches 5 and 6.

As shown exemplarily in FIG. 3, the head 51 of each of the upper punches5 has a revolution orbit including the ascending rail (i.e., ascendingcam) R1 configured to lift the upper punch 5 upward at a positionupstream of the guide member 17 and extract the tip 53 from the die bore4, and the descending rail (i.e., descending cam) R5 configured to pushthe upper punch 5 downward at a position upstream of the rolls 12 and 14and insert the tip 53 to the die bore 4 to be ready for latercompression of the powdery material.

The head 61 of each of the lower punches 6 has a revolution orbitincluding the push-up rail R4 configured to lift the lower punch 6upward at a position upstream of the guide member 17 to allow the tip 63to be substantially as high as the upper surface of the table 31, thelowering unit R2 configured to pull the lower punch 6 downward at aposition upstream of or adjacent to the feeder X to set volume of thedie bore 4 above the tip 63 to correspond to the amount of the powderymaterial as a constituent material for the molded product, and thequantity control rail R3 configured to slightly lift the lower punch 6upward at a position downstream of the feeder X to finely adjust theamount of the powdery material to be filled in the die bore 4. Thequantity control rail R3 has a latter half configured to slightly pullthe lower punch 6 downward to prevent the powdery material having beenadjusted in quantity and filled in the die bore 4 from spilling from thedie bore 4 due to centripetal force or the like.

A process of producing a molded product will be described briefly. Asshown exemplarily in FIG. 3, the lower punch 6 initially descends andthe spray device Y sprays the lubricant toward the inner circumferentialsurface of the die bore 4 into which the tip 63 of the lower punch 6 isinserted, the upper end surface of the tip 63 of the lower punch 6, andthe lower end surface of the tip 53 of the upper punch 5 (i.e., externallubricant spraying). The feeder X fills, with a powdery material (i.e.,mixed-powdery materials), the die bore 4 into which the tip 63 of thelower punch 6 is inserted (i.e., filling). The lower punch 6 ascends andthe powdery material overflowing the die bore 4 is leveled such that thedie bore 4 is filled with a required amount of the powdery material.

The upper punch 5 then descends, and the preliminary compression upperroll 12 and the preliminary compression lower roll 13 press the head 51of the upper punch 5 and the head 61 of the lower punch 6, such that thetips 53 and 63 of the punches 5 and 6 preliminarily compress the powderymaterial in the die bore 4. The substantial compression upper roll 14and the substantial compression lower roll 15 subsequently press thehead 51 of the upper punch 5 and the head 61 of the lower punch 6, suchthat the tips 53 and 63 of the punches 5 and 6 substantially compressthe powdery material in the die bore 4 (i.e., compression molding).

The lower punch 6 then ascends until the upper end surface of the tip 63of the lower punch 6 substantially reaches the level of the upper end ofthe die bore 4 (i.e., the top surface of the table 31), and pushes amolded product out of the die bore 4 onto the surface of the turret 3.The molded product pushed out of the die bore 4 is brought into contactwith the guide member 17 by a rotation of the turret 3, and moves alongthe guide member 17 to the molded-product collecting position 18.

The molded-product collector of the molding machine according to theexemplary embodiment has a molded product removal mechanism W configuredto select a specific molded product such as a sampled product or adefective product from among molded products collected at themolded-product collecting position 18. Specifically, the guide member 17is provided therein with an air passage 16 for a pressurized air flow,and the air passage 16 has a distal end functioning as an air spraynozzle 16 a opened outward in the radial direction of the turret 3. Aflow passage 20 connects an air feed source (not shown) such as a pumpconfigured to feed pressurized air and the air passage 16, and a controlvalve 22 is disposed on the flow passage 20 to open and close the flowpassage 20. Examples of the control valve 22 include an electromagneticsolenoid configured to open in accordance with a control signaltransmitted from the controller C or the like.

If the control valve 22 is opened when a specific molded product pushedout of the die bore 4 passes by the air spray nozzle 16 a beforecontacting the guide member 17, then the air spray nozzle 16 adischarges pressurized air fed from the air feed source through the flowpassage 20 and the air passage 16 in the guide member 17. The dischargedair blows the specific molded product outward from the table 31. Theblown molded product will not reach the molded-product collectingposition 18 ahead of the guide member 17. As described above, the moldedproduct removal mechanism W in the molding machine includes the passages16 and 20 for air fed from the air feed source, the spray nozzle 16 a,and the control valve 22.

The molded product removal mechanism W is also configured to sample atableted molded product.

Described below is a device configured to feed the buffer tank Z3 b witha powdery material, specifically, a powdery-material feeding device(i.e., powdery material-mixing and feeding device) Z configured todeliver the powdery material toward the feed pipe 191 directly connectedto the feeder X. As shown exemplarily in FIGS. 4 and 5, thepowdery-material feeding device Z according to the exemplary embodimentincludes three measuring feeders Z1 (e.g., Z1 a, Z1 b, and Z1 b). Thenumber of measuring feeders Z1 changes depending on the number of typesof powdery materials to be mixed. The powdery material-mixing andfeeding device Z can include two, four, or more measuring feeders Z1with no particular limitation in the number thereof.

The first to third measuring feeders Z1 a to Z1 b according to theexemplary embodiment measure and feed different types of powderymaterials. These measuring feeders Z1 a to Z1 b can alternativelymeasure and feed a single type of a powdery material. The firstmeasuring feeder Z1 a, the second measuring feeder Z1 b, and the thirdmeasuring feeder Z1 b according to the exemplary embodiment can measureand feed a principal agent, a powdery material of an excipient likelactose or the like, and a lubricant, respectively.

As shown exemplarily in FIGS. 4 and 5, the powdery-material feedingdevice Z includes the first measuring feeder Z1 a, the second measuringfeeder Z1 b, a vertical mixer (i.e., a first mixer) Z3, a firstconnecting pipe Z2 a connecting the measuring feeders Z1 (e.g., Z1 a andZ1 b) and a vertical mixer Z3 a, a horizontal mixer (i.e., a secondmixer) Z4, a second connecting pipe Z2 b connecting the vertical mixerZ3 a and the horizontal mixer Z4, a third connecting pipe Z2 cconnecting the third measuring feeder Z1 b and the horizontal mixer Z4,and a fourth connecting pipe Z2 d connecting the horizontal mixer Z4 andthe buffer tank Z3 b. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a state wherethe powdery-material feeding device Z is attached to the moldingmachine. FIG. 5 is a side view of the powdery-material feeding device Z.The measuring feeders (e.g., Z1 a, Z1 b, and Z1 b) can be modified interms of their disposition, shapes, and the like, and are not limited tothe aspect shown exemplarily in FIGS. 4 and 5.

The first measuring feeder Z1 a and the second measuring feeder Z1 bmeasure the powdery materials, namely, the principal agent and theexcipient or the like, respectively, and simultaneously feed the firstconnecting pipe Z2 a with the powdery materials. The third measuringfeeder Z1 b measures the powdery material, namely, the lubricant, andsimultaneously feeds the third connecting pipe Z2 c with the powderymaterial (i.e., measuring and feeding). These measuring feeders Z1 areconfigured in accordance with the known loss in weight system (i.e., aloss integrated value system), and each conduct-feedback control ofcausing weight of a powdery material discharged from the feeder Z1 to beconstantly measured with a gravimetric sensor, comparing to find whetheror not the weight transitions to achieve a set target discharge flowrate, and increasing or decreasing a discharge rate of the feeder Z1 toreduce a difference between. Measuring the powdery materials to be fedand feeding the connecting pipes Z2 a and Z2 c with the powderymaterials stabilizes contents of the principal agent and the like in amolded product.

As already described, the first connecting pipe Z2 a connects the firstmeasuring feeder Z1 a and the second measuring feeder Z1 b to thevertical mixer Z3 a, and feeds the vertical mixer Z3 a with theprincipal agent discharged from the first measuring feeder Z1 a and theexcipient or the like discharged from the second measuring feeder Z1 b.The second connecting pipe Z2 b connects the vertical mixer Z3 a and thehorizontal mixer Z4, and feeds the horizontal mixer Z4 withmixed-powdery materials including the principal agent and the excipientdischarged from the vertical mixer Z3 a. The third connecting pipe Z2 cconnects the third measuring feeder Z1 b and the horizontal mixer Z4,and feeds the horizontal mixer Z4 with the lubricant discharged from thethird measuring feeder Z1 b. The fourth connecting pipe Z2 d connectsthe horizontal mixer Z4 and the buffer tank Z3 b, and feeds the buffertank Z3 b with mixed-powdery materials including the principal agent,the excipient, and the lubricant discharged from the horizontal mixerZ4.

More specifically, the first connecting pipe Z2 a includes a firstbranch pipe Z2 a 1 connected with the first measuring feeder Z1 a, asecond branch pipe Z2 a 2 connected with the second measuring feeder Z1b, and a main pipe Z2 a 3 connected with the first branch pipe Z2 a 1and the second branch pipe Z2 a 2. The main pipe Z2 a 3 has a lower endconnected with the vertical mixer Z3 a. The vertical mixer Z3 a thusmixes the powdery materials measured and fed by the first measuringfeeder Z1 a and the second measuring feeder Z1 b (i.e., first mixing).

The second connecting pipe Z2 b, the third connecting pipe Z2 c, and thefourth connecting pipe Z2 d will be described later.

As shown exemplarily in FIGS. 5 to 8, the vertical mixer Z3 a includes alid Z36 having a feed port Z361 for a powdery material, a first case Z31disposed below the lid Z36 and having a funnel shape, an agitation shaftZ33 disposed substantially in the center of the first case Z31 andconfigured to spin, an agitating rotor Z34 (i.e., first mixing member)attached to the agitation shaft Z33, a motor Z37 configured to rotate(i.e., spin) the agitation shaft Z33, a powdery material passing memberZ32 disposed below the first case Z31 and having a plurality of boresZ321, an auxiliary rotor Z35 (i.e., first mixing member) configured tofacilitate a powdery material to pass through the bores Z321 of thepowdery material passing member Z32, and a second case Z38 covering thepowdery material passing member Z32. The agitating rotor Z34 and theauxiliary rotor Z35 each function as the first mixing member. Theconfiguration according to the exemplary embodiment includes both theagitating rotor Z34 and the auxiliary rotor Z35, while the exemplaryinvention is also applicable to another configuration including only oneof the agitating rotor Z34 and the auxiliary rotor Z35.

The agitation shaft Z33 of the vertical mixer Z3 a is not necessarilydisposed vertically but can be slanted. The vertical mixer Z3 a has onlyto be configured to agitate and mix a powdery material while the powderymaterial fed from the feed port Z361 is flowing downward.

The powdery materials fed through the feed port Z361 of the verticalmixer Z3 a are mixed by rotation of the agitating rotor Z34 (i.e., firstmixing). The powdery materials can alternatively be mixed by rotation ofthe auxiliary rotor Z35.

The lid Z36 includes the feed port Z361 and a shaft port Z362 allowingthe agitation shaft Z33 to pass therethrough, and is shaped to cover anupper opening of the first case Z31. The lid Z36 is attached to thefirst case Z31 so as to prevent a powdery material from spilling orscattering from the first case Z31. The feed port Z361 of the lid Z36 isconnected with the first connecting pipe Z2 a. The powdery materials fedfrom the feed port Z361 into the first case Z31 are agitated and mixedby rotation of the agitating rotor Z34 and/or the auxiliary rotor Z35.The powdery material passing member Z32 disposed at a reservoir Z30 hasthe plurality of bores Z321 through which the mixed-powdery materialspass.

Adjustment in amount of the powdery materials fed from the feed portZ361 or increase in a rotational speed of the auxiliary rotor Z35 cancause the powdery materials fed from the feed port Z361 to be larger inamount than the powdery materials passing through the bores Z321. Acertain amount of the powdery materials will thus remain in thereservoir Z30. Specifically, at least part of the powdery materialsmeasured and fed by the first measuring feeder Z1 a and the secondmeasuring feeder Z1 b remain in the reservoir Z30 in the vertical mixerZ3 a (i.e., reserving) and are agitated by the auxiliary rotor Z35, toachieve improvement in mixing degree of the powdery materials. There canbe included a plurality of feed ports Z361.

The first case Z31 has the open top and the powdery material passingmember Z32 is disposed below the first case Z31. The first case Z31according to the exemplary embodiment has the substantially funnelshape, while the first case Z31 is not limited to this shape but canhave any shape if it is configured to feed the powdery material passingmember Z32 with a powdery material.

The agitation shaft Z33 is disposed in the center of the first case Z31in a planar view and is driven to rotate (i.e., spin) by the motor Z37.The agitating rotor Z34 is attached to each of the top and the center inthe axial direction of the agitation shaft Z33, and the auxiliary rotorZ35 is attached to the lower end in the axial direction of the agitationshaft Z33. Rotation of the agitation shaft Z33 rotates the agitatingrotors Z34 and the auxiliary rotor Z35.

The agitating rotors Z34 (i.e., first mixing members) agitate and mixthe powdery materials fed from the feed port Z361 into the first caseZ31. The agitating rotors Z34 can have any shape. The agitating rotorsZ34 shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 have a rectangular distal end and aredisposed at two positions on the agitation shaft Z33. The vertical mixerZ3 a shown exemplarily in FIG. 8 is configured partially differentlyfrom the vertical mixer Z3 a shown exemplarily in FIGS. 5 and 6. Thevertical mixer Z3 a shown exemplarily in FIG. 8 includes the agitatingrotor Z34 disposed at a single position on the agitation shaft Z33 andshaped differently from the agitating rotors Z34 shown exemplarily inFIGS. 5 and 6. The agitating rotors Z34 are not limited in terms oftheir shapes or positions to those shown in FIGS. 5, 6, and 8.

As shown exemplarily in FIG. 7, the powdery material passing member Z32at the reservoir Z30 is disposed below the first case Z31 and includesthe plurality of bores Z321. The powdery material passing member Z32 iscovered with the second case Z38. A powdery material passing through thebores Z321 of the powdery material passing member Z32 is discharged froma discharge port Z381 disposed at the bottom of the second case Z38. Thenumber and the diameter of the bores Z321 are set appropriately. Such aconfiguration allows powdery materials to remain at the powdery materialpassing member Z32 and achieves improvement in mixing degree of thepowdery materials. A powdery material passing through the bores Z321 ofthe powdery material passing member Z32 in a first vertical mixer Z3 aais fed to the horizontal mixer Z4 by way of the second connecting pipeZ2 b.

The auxiliary rotor Z35 agitates a powdery material in the reservoirZ30. The auxiliary rotor Z35 is disposed in the center of the reservoirZ30 in a planar view and is attached to the lower end of the agitationshaft Z33. The auxiliary rotor Z35 according to the exemplary embodimentis shaped to follow the inner shape of the powdery material passingmember Z32 and facilitates a powdery material to pass through the boresZ321. The auxiliary rotor Z35 is also configured as a type of anagitating rotor.

The vertical mixer Z3 a according to the exemplary embodiment includesthe agitating rotor Z34. The vertical mixer Z3 a can alternatively beconfigured by the second case Z38, the powdery-material passing memberZ32, and the auxiliary rotor Z35. The second case Z38 covers the powderymaterial passing member Z32, has a substantially funnel shape, and hasthe discharge port Z381 at the bottom. The second case Z38 guides apowdery material passing through the bores Z321 of the powdery materialpassing member Z32 to the discharge port Z381.

The second connecting pipe Z2 b connects the vertical mixer Z3 a and thehorizontal mixer Z4 to be described later. The second connecting pipe Z2b is connected to the bottom of the vertical mixer Z3 a and the top ofthe horizontal mixer Z4, and feeds the horizontal mixer Z4 with thepowdery materials passing through the discharge port Z381 of thevertical mixer Z3 a.

As shown exemplarily in FIG. 5, the horizontal mixer Z4 functioning asthe second mixer includes a cylindrical case Z41, an agitation shaft Z42disposed substantially in the center of the case Z41 and configured tospin, a motor Z43 configured to rotate (i.e., spin) the agitation shaftZ42, and an agitating rotor Z44 attached to the agitation shaft Z42 andconfigured to rotate to move a powdery material substantiallyhorizontally. The horizontal mixer Z4 mixes the fed powdery materials,namely, the principal agent and the excipient or the like with thelubricant (i.e., second mixing). The case Z41 according to the exemplaryembodiment does not rotate (i.e., spin), but can alternatively beconfigured to rotate. This will achieve further improvement in mixingdegree of the powdery materials.

The case Z41 has a top including a plurality of feed ports that allowspowdery materials to be fed into the case Z41, and a discharge port Z413that allows mixed-powdery materials to be discharged from the case Z41.The configuration according to the exemplary embodiment includes twofeed ports (e.g., first and second feed ports Z411 and Z412), and thesecond connecting pipe Z2 b is connected to the first feed port Z411 ofthe case Z41 of the horizontal mixer Z4. The first feed port Z411 feedsthe case Z41 with the mixed-powdery materials of the principal agent andthe excipient or the like. The agitating rotor Z44 rotates to move themixed-powdery materials fed into the case Z41 toward the discharge portZ413 of the case Z41. The second feed port Z412 feeds the lubricant fromthe third connecting pipe Z2 c. The agitation shaft Z42 and theagitating rotor Z44 rotate to move the lubricant fed into the case Z41toward the discharge port Z413 of the case Z41. Any of the feed portsnot in use will be closed by a lid.

The discharge port Z413 is disposed at the bottom of the case Z41. Thedischarge port Z413 is connected with the fourth connecting pipe Z2 d tobe described later. The agitating rotor Z44 rotates to discharge themixed-powdery materials from the case Z41 through the discharge portZ413 to the fourth connecting pipe Z2 d.

The agitation shaft Z42 extends in a longitudinal direction of the caseZ41 and is disposed substantially in the center in a sectional view. Theagitation shaft Z42 is driven to rotate (i.e., spin) by the motor Z43.As shown exemplarily in FIG. 9, the agitating rotor Z44 is attached tothe agitation shaft Z42. Rotation of the agitation shaft Z42 causesrotation of the agitating rotor Z44 to simultaneously mix and move thepowdery materials toward the discharge port Z413.

The agitating rotor Z44 is configured to agitate and mix the powderymaterials fed into the case Z41 through the feed ports (e.g., Z411 andZ412). The agitating rotor Z44 can have any shape, but is preferablyconfigured to simultaneously mix and move the powdery materials towardthe discharge port Z413. As shown exemplarily in FIG. 9, the agitatingrotor Z44 according to the exemplary embodiment is shaped to have bothexpanded ends, and is attached to the agitation shaft Z42 at a freelyadjustable angle.

The third measuring feeder Z1 c is configured to measure and feed alubricant to the horizontal mixer Z4. The third connecting pipe Z2 c isconnected to the bottom of the third measuring feeder Z1 b. Thelubricant in the third measuring feeder Z1 c is fed to the horizontalmixer Z4 through the third connecting pipe Z2 c (i.e., lubricantfeeding). The lubricant can alternatively be fed to the horizontal mixerZ4 by a μR feeder. The lubricant can still alternatively be fed to thehorizontal mixer Z4 by an atomizer or a spray device.

The third connecting pipe Z2 c includes a branch pipe Z2 c 1 and a mainpipe Z2 c 2. The branch pipe Z2 c 1 has a first end connected to thebottom of the third measuring feeder Z1 c, and a second end connected tothe main pipe Z2 c 2. The lower end of the main pipe Z2 c 2 is connectedto the second feed port Z412 of the horizontal mixer Z4.

The fourth connecting pipe Z2 d has an upper end connected with thedischarge port Z413 of the horizontal mixer Z4 and a lower end connectedwith the feed port Z361 of the buffer tank Z3 b. The mixed-powderymaterials are fed through the discharge port Z413 of the horizontalmixer Z4 and the fourth connecting pipe Z2 d to the buffer tank Z3 b.

The buffer tank Z3 b has a bottom connected to the molding machine. Themixed-powdery materials passing through the buffer tank Z3 b are fed tothe feeder X in the molding machine and are eventually compressionmolded in the die bores 4. The buffer tank Z3 b may simply serve as apowdery-material reservoir tank directly connected to the feeder X inthe molding machine via the feed pipe 191, or may also have a functionas a mixer configured to mix a powdery material in the buffer tank Z3 b.For example, assume that the buffer tank Z3 b is configured similarly tothe vertical mixer Z3 a, in which case the powdery materials, namely,the principal agent, the excipient or the like, and the lubricant, to befed to the feeder X in the molding machine, are further agitated to bemixed in the buffer tank Z3 b (i.e., third mixing).

The powdery material mixing degree measurement device M measures themixing degree of the mixed-powdery materials discharged from the buffertank Z3 b of the powdery-material feeding device Z toward the moldingmachine. If the mixing degree is out of a predetermined range, then themixed-powdery materials are discharged, alarm sound is issued, thedevice is stopped, or the like. The powdery-material mixing degreemeasurement device M promptly measures the mixing degree of the powderymaterials mixed by the powdery-material feeding device Z and operatesappropriately.

Examples of a method of measuring a mixing degree of mixed-powderymaterials include Raman spectroscopy, infrared spectroscopy, X-raydiffraction, X-ray transmission measurement, and high performance liquidchromatography (HPLC). Any one of these methods is applicable topromptly measure a mixing degree of mixed-powdery materials. Theexemplary embodiment mainly adopts near infrared reflectance (NIR), or anear infrared absorption spectrum method. Specifically, in order toevaluate an amount or a percentage (i.e., a ratio) of the principalagent in the mixed-powdery materials (i.e., uniformity of themixed-powdery materials) (whether or not the mixed-powdery materials aresegregated), the mixed-powdery materials moving from thepowdery-material feeding device Z toward the feeder X of thecompression-molding machine are irradiated with near infrared light tomeasure light absorption and scattering for qualitative and quantitativeanalyses of a concentration and the like of the principal agent based ona spectrum. These analyses are repeatedly conducted at predeterminedcycles. A measured wavelength falls in a wavelength range including aunique absorption peak of the principal agent and no peak of theexcipient or the lubricant. The near infrared reflectance also achievesmeasurement of particle diameters of the mixed-powdery materials.

The exemplary embodiment adopts a near infrared sensor as a processanalytical technology (PAT) sensor configured to measure a mixing degreeand the like of powdery materials. As shown exemplarily in FIGS. 10 and11, the configuration according to the exemplary embodiment includes afirst sensor S1 of a near infrared sensor configured to initiallymeasure the mixing degree of the mixed-powdery materials before beingreserved in the buffer tank Z3 b.

The powdery materials mixed by the powdery-material feeding device Z aretemporarily reserved in the buffer tank Z3 b as a reservoir after thefirst sensor S1 measures the mixing degree of the powdery materials. Thepowdery materials reserved in the buffer tank Z3 b are fed to thepowdery-material mixing degree measurement device M after a nearinfrared sensor S2 measures the mixing degree of the powdery-materialsagain. As already described, the mixed-powdery materials can optionallybe further agitated and mixed in the buffer tank Z3 b.

As shown exemplarily in FIGS. 12 and 13, the powdery material mixingdegree measurement device M includes a case M1, a rotator M2 as amovable member in the case M1, a motor M3 as a driver for the rotatorM2, near infrared sensors S2 and S3 configured to measure a mixingdegree of powdery materials, a powdery-material remover M4 configured toremove defective mixed-powdery materials, the feeding unit M5 configuredto introduce the mixed-powdery materials from the buffer tank Z3 b intothe case M1, and the discharger M6 configured to discharge themixed-powdery materials to the agitated feeder X functioning as afilling device of the molding machine.

As shown exemplarily in FIG. 14, the case M1 has a bottom surfaceincluding an attachment bore M11 allowing the near infrared sensor S3 tobe mounted therein, a removal bore M12 (e.g., the powdery-materialremover M4) for removal of a powdery material, and a discharge bore M13(e.g., the discharger M6) for discharge of a powdery material to thepowdery material feed pipe 191. The case M1 has a top surface on whichthe feeding unit M5 configured to feed the case M1 with a powderymaterial is mounted. The mixed-powdery materials enter the case M1 byway of the buffer tank Z3 b and the feeding unit M5. The feeding unit M5has the second sensor S2 of a near infrared sensor configured to measurea mixing degree of mixed-powdery materials passing through the feedingunit M5.

The rotator M2 includes a plurality of movable portions M21. The feedingunit M5 feeds the movable portions M21 with the mixed-powdery materials.The rotator M2 is driven to rotate by the motor M3 positioned above therotator M2.

The third sensor S3 of a near infrared sensor is attached to theattachment bore M11 of the case M1 and is configured to measure a mixingdegree of powdery materials fed to the movable portions M21.

The powdery-material remover M4 includes a case, a drive body M41, and adriver M42 configured to drive the drive body M41. The case of thepowdery-material remover M4 is provided integrally with the case M1. Thedrive body M41 according to the exemplary embodiment has a circular discshape, and includes a center projection M411 engaged with the driverM42, and a partial cutoff portion M412. The driver M42 has a distal endM421 configured to drive forward and backward along a Y axis indicatedin FIG. 13, and an engagement bore M422 disposed at the distal end andengaged with the projection M411 of the drive body M41.

In a state where the distal end M421 of the driver M42 moves in apositive direction along the Y axis as indicated in FIG. 13, the cutoffportion M412 of the drive body M41 is located in the center of theremoval bore M12 of the case M1. In another state where the distal endM421 moves in a negative direction along the Y axis, the cutoff portionM412 is apart from the removal bore M12 of the case M1.

Specifically, in the case where the driver M42 drives to move the distalend M421 in the negative direction along the Y axis, the drive body M41is driven clockwise together therewith and the cutoff portion M412 isnot overlapped with the removal bore M12. A powdery material in themovable portions M21 of the rotator M2 is not removed in this case. Inthe other case where the driver M42 drives to move the distal end M421in the positive direction along the Y axis, the drive body M41 is drivencounterclockwise together therewith and the cutoff portion M412 isoverlapped with the removal bore M12. The powdery material in themovable portions M21 of the rotator M2 is removed in this case.

The drive body M41 according to the exemplary embodiment is drivenclockwise and counterclockwise to remove the powdery material in themovable portions M21 of the rotator M2. The drive body M41 canalternatively be configured to rotate only in one direction to removethe powdery material in the movable portions M21.

If the mixing degree of the powdery materials measured with any of thefirst to third sensors S1 to S3 (i.e., the amount or the percentage(i.e., ratio) of the principal agent in the mixed-powdery materials, isout of the predetermined range), then the powdery-material remover M4removes the mixed-powdery materials in the movable portions M21. Themixed-powdery materials in the movable portions M21 can alternatively beremoved if all mixing degree measurement values of the first to thirdsensors S1 to S3 are out of the predetermined range, or if themeasurement value of any one of the sensors S is out of thepredetermined range.

The powdery-material remover M4 is also configured to sample themixed-powdery materials.

The mixed-powdery materials not removed by the powdery-material removerM4 pass through the discharge bore M13 to reach the powdery-materialfeed pipe 191. The mixed-powdery materials move to the discharger M6 inthis case.

A fourth sensor S4 of a near infrared sensor measures the mixing degreeof the mixed-powdery materials reached the powdery-material feed pipe191 before the mixed-powdery materials are guided into the agitatedfeeder X functioning as a filling device of the molding machine.Furthermore, a fifth sensor S5 of a near infrared sensor measures themixing degree of the mixed-powdery materials in the agitated feeder X inthe molding machine according to the exemplary embodiment.

If the mixing degree of the mixed-powdery materials measured by thefourth sensor S4 and/or the fifth sensor S5 is out of the predeterminedrange, then the mixed-powdery materials in the feeder X are once filledin each of the die bores 4 of the table 31 of the compression-moldingmachine and are compression molded by the upper and lower punches 5 and6 into the shape of a molded product. The molded product is then removedby the molded product removal mechanism W before reaching themolded-product collecting position 18. Specifically, in the moldingmachine, the control valve 22 is opened when the die bore 4 filled withdefective mixed-powdery materials tableted into a molded product passesby the air spray nozzle 16 a, and the air spray nozzle 16 a sprays airto blow the molded product out of the table 31.

In summary, the powdery-material remover M4 removes the mixed-powderymaterials if any of the first to third sensors S1 to S3 detests a mixingdegree of the mixed-powdery materials out of the predetermined range,and the molded product removal mechanism W removes thecompression-molded mixed-powdery materials if the fourth sensor S4and/or the fifth sensor S5 detects a mixing degree of the mixed-powderymaterials out of the predetermined range.

The molded product removal mechanism W removes a molded-productcompression molded in any of the die bores 4 also in a case where any ofthe load cells 25 mounted to the molding machine detects thatcompression pressure applied to the powdery material compressed in thedie bore 4 is out of a predetermined range.

Summarized again below is a flow of continuous production of compressionmolded products by the system according to the exemplary embodiment.Initially, the first measuring feeder Z1 a simultaneously measures andfeeds the principal agent, and the second measuring feeder Z1 bsimultaneously measures and feeds the excipient or the like (measuringand feeding). The vertical mixer Z3 a functioning as the first mixer issubsequently fed with the powdery materials of the principal agent andthe excipient or the like and mixes the powdery materials therein (i.e.,first mixing). In the vertical mixer Z3 a, the agitating rotor Z34rotates about the agitation shaft Z33 disposed substantially vertically,to mix the powdery materials of the principal agent and the excipient orthe like.

The horizontal mixer Z4 functioning as the second mixer is fed with themixed-powdery materials of the principal agent and the excipient or thelike subjected to the first mixing and mixes the powdery materials again(i.e., second mixing). In the horizontal mixer Z4, the agitating rotorZ44 rotates about the agitation shaft Z42 disposed substantiallyhorizontally, to mix the powdery materials of the principal agent andthe excipient or the like. Such a process achieves improvement in mixingdegree of the at least two types of powdery materials (e.g., theprincipal agent and the excipient or the like), and causes lesssegregation of the principal agent. As already described, the powderymaterials can optionally be fed to another vertical mixer Z3 b so as tobe mixed after the second mixing by the horizontal mixer Z4 (i.e., thirdmixing). This will achieve further improvement in mixing degree of thepowdery materials.

The first mixing preferably includes reserving at least part of thepowdery materials. Specifically, the powdery materials pass through theplurality of bores Z321 of the powdery material passing member Z32. Thereservoir Z30 reserves powdery materials by increase in amount of thepowdery materials to be fed to the first vertical mixer Z3 aa to be morethan the powdery materials passing through the bores Z321 or increase ina rotational speed of the auxiliary rotor Z35. The powdery materialsthen pass through the bores Z321 while being agitated and mixed by theauxiliary rotor Z35.

Furthermore, the third measuring feeder Z1 c simultaneously measures andfeeds the lubricant (i.e., lubricant feeding). The lubricant is fed tothe horizontal mixer Z4 in the exemplary embodiment, but canalternatively be fed to a second vertical mixer Z3 ab, the feeder X, orthe like, with no limitation in feeding destination of the lubricant tothe horizontal mixer Z4.

The mixed-powdery materials obtained by mixing the principal agent, theexcipient or the like, and the lubricant are fed to the buffer tank Z3 bconnected to the molding machine. The sensor S2 or S3 then measures themixing degree of the mixed-powdery materials fed to the buffer tank Z3 b(i.e., measuring). The sensor S1 can obviously measure the mixing degreeof the mixed-powdery materials before the mixed-powdery materials arefed to the buffer tank Z3 b.

The mixed-powdery materials are removed if the measured mixing degree ofthe mixed-powdery materials is out of the predetermined range (i.e.,removing). The mixed-powdery materials are subsequently fed to thefeeder X functioning as a filling device. The sensor S5 can measure themixing degree of the mixed-powdery materials in the feeder X, or thesensor S4 can measure the mixing degree of the mixed-powdery materialsimmediately before the mixed-powdery materials are fed to the feeder X.

The mixed-powdery materials fed to the feeder X are filled in the diebore 4 of the table 31 of the turret 3 in the molding machine (i.e.,filling). As already described, prior to filling with the powderymaterials, the lubricant can optionally be sprayed to the innercircumferential surface of the die bore 4, the upper end surface of thelower punch 6, and the lower end surface of the upper punch 5 (i.e.,external lubricant spraying). The mixed-powdery materials filled in eachof the die bores 4 are compression molded by the upper and lower punches5 and 6 (i.e., compression molding). The mixed-powdery materials thuscompression molded into a molded product are guided by the guide member17 and are collected at the molded-product collecting position 18. Thecontroller C in the system causes the fourth sensor S4 and/or the fifthsensor S5 to repeatedly measure the mixing degree of the mixed-powderymaterials fed by the powdery-material feeding device Z to the feeder Xand filled in the die bores 4. If the measured mixing degree of themixed-powdery materials is out of the predetermined range, then themolded product removal mechanism W in the molding machine removes adefective molded-product compression molded in the die bore 4 filledwith the mixed-powdery materials (i.e., molded product removing).

The controller C further causes the load cells 25 to measure acompression pressure applied from the punches 5 and 6 to the powderymaterial in each of the die bores 4 to obtain a molded product. Thecontroller C causes the molded product removal mechanism W to remove adefective molded-product compression molded in the die bore 4 havingcompression pressure out of the predetermined range (i.e., moldedproduct removing). In a case where the powdery material filled in thedie bore 4 is more than an appropriate amount, compression pressuremeasured by the load cell 25 exceeds the predetermined range. In anothercase where the powdery material filled in the die bore 4 is less thanthe appropriate amount, compression pressure measured by the load cell25 is less than the predetermined range. In either one of the cases, themolded-product compression molded in the die bore 4 has weight, density,and hardness different from desired values and is regarded as defective.

When the die bore 4 assumed to be filled with such defectivemixed-powdery materials having a mixing degree out of the predeterminedrange or the die bore 4 receiving compression pressure out of thepredetermined range, (i.e., the possibly defective molded product),passes by the air spray nozzle 16 a is found by referring to an outputsignal from the rotary encoder 23.

The first measuring feeder Z1 a is configured to feedback control weight(i.e., a flow rate) of the fed principal agent per unit time, the secondmeasuring feeder Z1 b is configured to feedback control weight of thefed excipient or the like per unit time, and the third measuring feederZ1 b is configured to feedback control weight of the fed lubricant perunit time. Furthermore, these powdery materials are to be mixed at adesired mixture ratio. Even in this configuration, the amounts of thepowdery materials discharged from the measuring feeders Z1 and fed tothe mixers Z3 a and Z4 can somehow deviate from initial target amounts.The powdery material fed from any of the measuring feeders Z1 to themixer Z3 a or Z4 is sometimes smaller than the target amount. In such acase, the amount of the principal agent in the mixed-powdery materialshas a ratio larger or smaller than the desired ratio. A molded productobtained by compression molding such mixed-powdery materials isdefective, failing to exert an expected drug effect.

Even if the mixer Z3 a or Z4 fails to adequately mix the powderymaterials and the mixed-powdery materials fed to the feeder X in themolding machine have segregation of the principal agent or theexcipient, molded products will be defective with different contents.

In view of this, the controller C in the system adjusts, in accordancewith the mixing degree measurement value of the mixed-powdery materialsby any of the first to fifth sensors S1 to S5, the amounts of thepowdery materials fed by the measuring feeders Z1 a, Z1 b, and Z1 c, arotational speed of the agitation shaft Z33, the agitating rotor Z34,and the auxiliary rotor Z35 of the vertical mixer Z3 a, a rotationalspeed of the agitation shaft Z42 and the agitating rotor Z44 of thehorizontal mixer Z4, and a rotational speed of the agitation shaft, theagitating rotor, and the auxiliary rotor of the buffer tank Z3 bfunctioning as a vertical mixer.

In a case where the absolute value of a difference between a targetvalue and the amount or the percentage of the principal agent in themixed-powdery materials repeatedly measured by any of the first to fifthsensors S1 to S5 is more than a predetermined threshold (i.e., thepercentage of the principal agent is inappropriately small or large)continuously for at least a certain period, at least one of the first tothird measuring feeders Z1 a to Z1 b is regarded as failing to feed anappropriate amount of the powdery materials. In this case, thecontroller C temporarily interrupts weight feedback control by themeasuring feeder Z1 itself and adjusts a rotational speed of a drivemotor of each of the measuring feeders Z1 such that the amount or thepercentage of the principal agent in the mixed-powdery materialsmeasured by any of the first to fifth sensors S1 to S5 is approximate tothe target value. In a case where the measured amount or the measuredpercentage of the principal agent in the mixed-powdery materials is lessthan the target value, the first measuring feeder Z1 a increases theamount of the discharged principal agent, and/or the second measuringfeeder Z1 b decreases the amount of the discharged excipient or the likeand the third measuring feeder Z1 b decreases the amount of thedischarged lubricant. In another case where the measured amount or themeasured percentage of the principal agent in the mixed-powderymaterials is more than the target value, the first measuring feeder Z1 adecreases the amount of the discharged principal agent, and/or thesecond measuring feeder Z1 b increases the amount of the dischargedexcipient or the like and the third measuring feeder Z1 b increases theamount of the discharged lubricant.

Alternatively, if the absolute value of the difference between thetarget value and the amount or the percentage of the principal agent inthe mixed-powdery materials is more than the threshold continuously forat least a certain period, then the target value of the dischargedamount of the powdery materials commanded by the controller C to themeasuring feeders Z1 a to Z1 b can be changed to optimize the amount ofthe fed principal agent. In a case where the measured amount or themeasured percentage of the principal agent in the mixed-powderymaterials is less than the target value, the first measuring feeder Z1 ahas a higher target value of the amount of the discharged principalagent, and/or the second measuring feeder Z1 b has a lower target valueof the amount of the discharged excipient or the like and the thirdmeasuring feeder Z1 b has a lower target value of the amount of thedischarged lubricant. In another case where the measured amount or themeasured percentage of the principal agent in the mixed-powderymaterials is more than the target value, the first measuring feeder Z1 ahas a lower target value of the amount of the discharged principalagent, and/or the second measuring feeder Z1 b has a higher target valueof the amount of the discharged excipient or the like and the thirdmeasuring feeder Z1 c has a higher target value of the amount of thedischarged lubricant.

In a case where the absolute value of the difference between the targetvalue and the amount or the percentage of the principal agent in themixed-powdery materials repeatedly measured by any of the first to fifthsensors S1 to S5 is more than the threshold not continuously for atleast a certain period but is more than the threshold instantaneously oronly for a short period, (the principal agent, the excipient or thelike, or the lubricant of) the mixed-powdery materials moving toward thefeeder X in the molding machine is regarded as having segregation (i.e.,locally having portions of high and low concentrations of the principalagent). In this case, the controller C executes at least one of changing(i.e., increasing or decreasing) a current rotational speed of theagitation shaft Z33 and the agitating rotors Z34 and Z35 of the verticalmixer Z3 a, changing (i.e., increasing or decreasing) a currentrotational speed of the agitation shaft Z42 and the agitating rotor Z44of the horizontal mixer Z4, and changing (i.e., increasing ordecreasing) a current rotational speed of the agitation shaft and theagitating rotor of the buffer tank Z3 b functioning as a vertical mixer.This achieves further improvement in mixing degree of the powderymaterials.

Also in the case where the absolute value of the difference between thetarget value and the amount or the percentage of the principal agent inthe mixed-powdery materials is more than the threshold continuously forat least the certain period, the controller C can control to change acurrent rotational speed of the agitating rotors Z34 and Z35 of thevertical mixer Z3 a, to change a current rotational speed of theagitating rotor Z44 of the horizontal mixer Z4, and/or to change acurrent rotational speed of the agitating rotor of the vertical mixer Z3b.

Compression molding a molded product with use of the molding machine cansometimes have serious tableting failures like binding, sticking, andcapping to obtain a broken molded product. The molded-product can alsohave inadequate hardness.

High friction between the molded-product compressed in the die bore 4and the inner circumference of the die bore 4 leads to an excessivepressure applied to the lower punch 6 that is pushing the molded productout of the die bore. This may cause a strong friction between the head61 of the lower punch 6 and the push-up rail R4 as a cam rail to cause acrack, abrasion, or damage of the head 61 of the lower punch 6 or thepush-up rail R4.

In order to inhibit such defectiveness of the molded product or wear ofthe constituent member 6 or R4 of the molding machine, the controller Cin the system adjusts by increasing or decreasing the amount of aninternal lubricant preliminarily mixed with the powdery material to befilled in the die bore 4 (i.e., a ratio of the lubricant to the powderymaterial), and/or the amount of the external lubricant applied to theinner circumference of the die bore 4 and the tips 53 and 63, inaccordance with whether or not the molded product has defectiveness,pressure applied to the lower punch 6 pushing the molded product out ofthe die bore 4, temperature of the die bore 4, the upper punch 5, or thelower punch 6, temperature of the powdery material, or humidity of thepowdery material.

The internal lubricant is increased in amount by increasing the amountof the lubricant discharged from the third measuring feeder Z1 c in thepowdery-material feeding device Z, and/or by decreasing the amount ofthe principal agent discharged from the first measuring feeder Z1 a, orthe amount of the excipient or the like discharged from the secondmeasuring feeder Z1 b. In contrast, the internal lubricant is decreasedin amount by decreasing the amount of the lubricant discharged from thethird measuring feeder Z1 b, and/or by increasing the amount of theprincipal agent discharged from the first measuring feeder Z1 a, or theamount of the excipient or the like discharged from the second measuringfeeder Z1 b.

The external lubricant is increased in applied amount by increasing theflow rate of the lubricant sprayed from the spray nozzles Y1 and Y2 ofthe spray device Y in the molding machine, prolonging a time to spraythe lubricant from the spray nozzles Y1 and Y2, or increasing a voltageapplied to the static electricity generation electrode Y13 configured tocharge the sprayed lubricant to increase an amount of electric charge.The external lubricant is decreased in applied amount by decreasing theflow rate of the lubricant sprayed from the spray nozzles Y1 and Y2 ofthe spray device Y, shortening a time to spray the lubricant from thespray nozzles Y1 and Y2, or decreasing a voltage applied to the staticelectricity generation electrode Y13 configured to charge the sprayedlubricant to decrease the amount of electric charge.

Specific examples of defectiveness of the molded product include bindingof the powdery material, as a constituent material for the moldedproduct, remaining on the inner circumferential surface of the die bore4 to cause roughness or chipping at the outer circumferential surface ofthe molded product, sticking of the powdery material remaining at thelower end surface of the tip 53 of the upper punch 5 or the upper endsurface of the tip 63 of the lower punch 6 to cause roughness orchipping at the upper surface or the lower surface of the moldedproduct, capping to cause compression molded product to be broken, andinadequate hardness of the molded product. Binding and sticking can beinhibited by increasing the amount of the internal lubricant mixed withthe powdery material, or increasing the amount of the external lubricantto be applied to the die bore 4 and the tips 53 and 63. In contrast,capping can be inhibited by decreasing the amount of the internallubricant mixed with the powdery material. Hardness of the moldedproduct can also be improved (i.e., enhanced) by decreasing the amountof the internal lubricant.

Upon detection of binding or sticking, the controller C increases theamount of the internal lubricant mixed with the powdery material toexcess base quantity (i.e., fundamental quantity for production of themolded product, set in accordance with size, shape, weight, contents,and the like of the molded product), and/or increases the amount of theexternal lubricant applied to the die bore 4 and the tips 53 and 63 toexcess base quantity. Whether the molded product has binding or stickingcan be determined through an analysis of an image obtained by a camerasensor (i.e., image sensor) S6 configured to capture the compressionmolded product, or a camera sensor S6 configured to capture the die bore4 or the tip 53 or 63. Upon detection of binding or sticking, thecontroller C gradually increases the amount of the internal lubricantand/or the amount of the external lubricant until recurrence of bindingor sticking is eliminated. Upon no more detection of binding orsticking, the controller C gradually decreases the amount of theinternal lubricant and/or the amount of the external lubricant towardthe base quantity thereof as long as recurrence is not observed.

When capping is detected or when hardness of the molded product is lessthan a threshold, the controller C decreases the amount of the internallubricant mixed with the powdery material to become less than the basequantity. Whether or not the molded product has capping can bedetermined through an analysis of an image obtained by the camera sensorS6 configured to capture the compression molded product. Hardness of themolded product can be found through measurement with use of a durometeror near infrared reflectance with use of a near infrared sensor S7.Whether or not hardness of the molded product reaches a desiredthreshold can be determined alternatively by sampling tableting soundgenerated instantaneously when the punches 5 and 6 compress the powderymaterial in the die bore 4 and executing a voice analysis. Upondetection of capping or that hardness of the molded product does notreach the desired threshold, the controller C gradually decreases theamount of the internal lubricant until recurrence of capping iseliminated. Upon no more detection of capping or inadequate hardness ofthe molded product, the controller C gradually increases the amount ofthe internal lubricant toward the base quantity thereof as long asrecurrence is not observed. The controller C can alternatively executefeedback control of increasing or decreasing the amount of the internallubricant to reduce a difference between hardness of the molded productand a target value.

Furthermore, in the case where capping is detected or hardness of themolded product is less than the threshold, in comparison to the contrarycase, the controller C can decrease a rotational speed of the motor 8 ofthe molding machine as well as the turret 3 and the punches 5 and 6, andprolong time to apply pressure from the punches 5 and 6 to the powderymaterial in the die bore 4 (e.g., time to press the punches 5 and 6 bythe rolls 12 to 15).

If determining that pressure applied to the lower punch 6 pushing themolded product out of the die bore 4 in the molding machine is large tobe not less than a threshold, then the controller C increases the amountof the internal lubricant mixed with the powdery material to exceed thebase quantity, and/or increases the amount of the external lubricantapplied to the die bore 4 and the tips 53 and 63 to exceed the basequantity. Increase in amount of the lubricant will achieve a reductionin friction between the molded product and the inner circumferentialsurface of the die bore 4 and a decrease in pressure applied to thelower punch 6 pushing the molded product out of the die bore 4.

A level of pressure applied to the lower punch 6 pushing the moldedproduct out of the die bore 4 (i.e., a force acting between the head 61of the lower punch 6 and the push-up rail R4) can be estimated throughmeasurement with use of a displacement sensor S8 configured to detectdeformation or displacement of the push-up rail R4 (a distancemeasurement sensor, exemplified by a contactless displacement sensorlike a laser displacement sensor, an eddy current magnetic displacementsensor, or a ultrasonic displacement sensor, or a contact displacementsensor (that can be configured to measure a displacement amountaccording to temperature change)), a temperature sensor configured todetect heat caused by friction between the head 61 of the lower punch 6and the push-up rail R4 (e.g., a thermocouple), a strain sensorconfigured to detect strain of the push-up rail R4 (e.g., a straingauge), a shock sensor configured to detect impact on the push-up railR4, or the like.

Whether or not pressure applied to the lower punch 6 pushing the moldedproduct out of the die bore 4 reaches a predetermined threshold canalternatively be determined by sampling noise generated instantaneouslywhen the head 61 of the lower punch 6 slides along the push-up rail R4and executing a voice analysis. When determining that pressure appliedto the lower punch 6 pushing the molded product out of the die bore 4 isnot less than the predetermined threshold, the controller C graduallyincreases the amount of the internal lubricant and/or the amount of theexternal lubricant until the pressure becomes less than the threshold.Upon determination that the pressure becomes less than the threshold,the controller C gradually decreases the amount of the internallubricant and/or the amount of the external lubricant toward the basequantity thereof as long as the pressure again does not increase tobecome not less than the threshold. The controller C can alternativelyexecute a feedback control of increasing or decreasing the amount of theinternal lubricant and/or the amount of the external lubricant to reducea difference between a pressure applied to the lower punch 6 pushing themolded product out of the die bore 4 and a target value.

The controller C can still alternatively be configured to measure withuse of a required sensor, temperature of the die bore 4, the upper punch5, or the lower punch 6, temperature of the powdery material filled inthe die bore 4, and/or humidity of the powdery material, and execute afeedforward control of increasing or decreasing the amount of theinternal lubricant and/or the amount of the external lubricant from thebase quantity if the temperature and/or the humidity is out of apredetermined range. The predetermined range for the temperature of thedie bore 4, the temperature of the punch 5 or 6, the temperature of thepowdery material, and/or the humidity of the powdery material is set toprevent or adequately inhibit defectiveness of the molded product orwear of the head 61 of the lower punch 6 or the push-up rail R4. If thetemperature and/or the humidity falls within the predetermined range,then the amount of the internal lubricant and/or the amount of theexternal lubricant is basically adjusted to the base quantity. When thetemperature and/or the humidity falls within the predetermined range,the amount of the internal lubricant and/or the amount of the externallubricant is increased from the base quantity under a condition withpossible binding, sticking, wear of the head 61 of the lower punch 6 orthe push-up rail R4, and the amount of the internal lubricant and/or theamount of the external lubricant is decreased from the base quantityunder a condition with possible capping or inadequate hardness of themolded product.

The controller C of the compression-molding system according to theexemplary embodiment controls the molding machine configured to fill thedie bore 4 with a powdery material and to compress the powdery materialwith use of the upper and lower punches 5 and 6 to obtain a moldedproduct, and/or the powdery-material feeding device Z configured to feedthe molding machine with the powdery material, and the controller C isconfigured to adjust by increasing or decreasing an amount of alubricant mixed with the powdery material, and/or an amount of alubricant applied to the inner circumference of the die bore 4 and thetips 53 and 63, in accordance with whether or not the molded product hasdefectiveness, pressure applied to the lower punch 6 pushing the moldedproduct out of the die bore 4, temperature of the die bore 4, the upperpunch 5, or the lower punch 6, temperature of the powdery material, orhumidity of the powdery material.

The exemplary embodiment inhibits defectiveness of the molded productduring production of the molded product with use of the molding machineand wear of the lower punch 6 and the cam rail R4 as the constituentmembers of the molding machine, to achieve continuous operation for along period of time without stopping the molding machine and thepowdery-material feeding device Z. The exemplary embodiment thusachieves further improvement in productivity of the molded products.

The exemplary embodiment described above includes adjusting byincreasing or decreasing the amount of the lubricant in accordance withwhether or not the molded product has defectiveness, pressure applied tothe lower punch 6 pushing the molded product out of the die bore 4,temperature of the die bore 4, the upper punch 5, or the lower punch 6,temperature of the powdery material, or humidity of the powderymaterial. Instead of, or along with this, time to mix the internallubricant to be mixed with the powdery material (i.e., preliminarilybefore being fed to the molding machine) and the powdery material canalternatively be adjusted by prolonging or shortening, in accordancewith whether or not the molded product has defectiveness, pressureapplied to the lower punch 6 pushing the molded product out of the diebore 4, temperature of the die bore 4, the upper punch 5, or the lowerpunch 6, temperature of the powdery material, or humidity of the powderymaterial.

Inappropriately short time to mix the powdery material to be filled inthe die bore 4 and the internal lubricant leads to deterioration inmixing degree of the powdery material and the lubricant, to increasepossibility of future tableting failure like binding or sticking in themolding machine. Extremely long mixing time allows the lubricant to coatparticles of the powdery material, to possibly affect quality of themolded product such as reduction in speed of elution of the principalagent (e.g., a main ingredient or an active ingredient) from thecompleted molded product.

Inhibition of binding or sticking or reduction in pressure applied tothe lower punch 6 pushing the molded product out of the die bore 4 caneffectively be achieved by prolonging time to mix the powdery materialwith the internal lubricant. The lubricant to be mixed with the powderymaterial and the powdery material are thus mixed together for longertime if binding or sticking occurs or pressure applied to the lowerpunch pushing the molded product out of the die bore increases to becomenot less than the threshold. Too long mixing time may cause qualitydefectiveness of the molded product, and the mixing time is thuspreferably shortened as long as binding or sticking does not occur orpressure applied to the lower punch 6 pushing the molded product out ofthe die bore 4 does not increase, and as long as the molded product doesnot have segregation of contents.

When the internal lubricant is mixed with the powdery material with useof the horizontal mixer Z4 according to the exemplary embodiment, thepowdery material is transferred while being agitated in the case Z41 inan extension direction of the case Z41 and the agitation rod Z42 and thelubricant is supplied or added to the powdery material. Time to mix thepowdery material and the lubricant is prolonged or shortened inaccordance with a position in the extension direction of the case Z41and the agitation rod Z42, where the lubricant is supplied to thepowdery material (i.e., a distance from the position where the lubricantis supplied to the discharge port Z413 of the horizontal mixer Z4). Asshown exemplarily in FIG. 10, the horizontal mixer Z4 includes aplurality of feed ports Z412, Z412 x, and Z412 y aligned in theextension direction of the case Z41 and the agitation rod Z42. Time tomix the powdery material and the lubricant is longer in a case where(the main pipe Z2 c 2 of) the third connecting pipe Z2 c is connected tothe feed port Z412 y distant from the discharge port Z413, in comparisonto a case where the third connecting pipe Z2 c is connected to the feedport Z412 closer to the discharge port Z413.

If a mixer configured to mix a powdery material and an internallubricant can adjust mixing time with no manpower (e.g., the horizontalmixer Z4 includes a mechanism configured to change a position where thelubricant is supplied to the powdery material, or a mechanism configuredto switch among the feed ports Z412, Z412 x, and Z412 y to be connectedwith the third connecting pipe Z2 c), then the controller C canautomatically control to prolong the time to mix the powdery materialand the lubricant from base time when binding or sticking is detected orwhen pressure applied to the lower punch 6 pushing the molded productout of the die bore 4 increases to become not less than the threshold inthe molding machine. The controller C can control to gradually shortenthe time to mix the powdery material with the lubricant to become closeto the base time when no more binding or sticking is detected or whenthe pressure applied to the lower punch 6 pushing the molded product outof the die bore 4 decreases to become not more than the threshold.Length of the time to mix the powdery material and the lubricant may befeedback controlled or feedforward controlled.

In the compression-molding system according to the exemplary embodiment,the powdery material-mixing and feeding device Z continuously orintermittently feeds the feeder X with the powdery material while themolding machine configured to produce a molded product is in anoperation, without stopping rotation of the table 31 and the punchretaining portions 32 and 33 of the turret 3, filling the die bores 4with the powdery material by the feeder X, and compression molding thepowdery material in the die bores 4 by the upper and lower punches 5 and6.

When the powdery material-mixing and feeding device Z continuously orintermittently feeds the feeder X with the powdery material while themolding machine is in an operation, the measuring feeders Z1 a, Z1 b,and Z1 b, and the mixers Z3 a, Z4, and Z3 b, as elements of the powderymaterial-mixing and feeding device Z, as well as the powdery-materialmixing degree measurement device M, operate not constantly butintermittently, with temporary stop between a previous operation and asubsequent operation. The powdery material-mixing and feeding device Zhas a flow of operation in this case similar or equal to the flow shownexemplarily in a flowchart in FIG. 21, excluding step S6 of starting themolding machine having been stopped. More specifically, a batch or anamount of the powdery material fed one time from the powderymaterial-mixing and feeding device Z to the feeder X is set to anappropriate amount according to a speed of the powdery material dealt bythe molding machine. A plurality of types of powdery materials asconstituent materials for a molded product is then discharged from themeasuring feeders Z1 a, Z1 b, and Z1 c, such that the powdery materialshave required ratios (particularly, weight ratios of the powderymaterials fed from the measuring feeders Z1 a, Z1 b, and Z1 b per unittime (i.e., flow rates) are adjusted to have the required ratios), aswell as such that the total of the powdery materials is equal to asingle-fed amount. In addition, the mixers Z3 a and Z4 are started tomix the powdery materials discharged from the measuring feeders Z1 a, Z1b, and Z1 b and simultaneously deliver the powdery materials to themixer Z3 b provided as the buffer tank (i.e., step S1). When themixed-powdery materials reach the buffer tank Z3 b, the measuringfeeders Z1 a, Z1 b, and Z1 b, and the mixers Z3 a and Z4 are oncestopped (i.e., step S2), the mixer Z3 b and the powdery-material mixingdegree measurement device M are started in the state, and the single-fedamount of the powdery materials are delivered to the feed pipe 191 andthen to the feeder X (i.e., step S3). The mixer Z3 b and thepowdery-material mixing degree measurement device M are subsequentlystopped (step S4), the measuring feeders Z1 a, Z1 b, and Z1 b, and themixers Z3 a and Z4 are started again, and the single-fed amount of thepowdery materials are discharged to be simultaneously mixed anddelivered to the mixer Z3 b (i.e., step S1). The measuring feeders Z1 a,Z1 b, and Z1 b and the mixers Z3 a and Z4 are subsequently stopped again(i.e., step S2), the mixer Z3 b and the powdery-material mixing degreemeasurement device M are restarted, and the single-fed amount of thepowdery materials are delivered to the feed pipe 191 and then to thefeeder X (i.e., step S3). The above procedure (i.e., step S1 to step S4)is repeated (i.e., step S5) to cause the powdery material-mixing andfeeding device Z to intermittently feed the feeder X with the powderymaterials.

The compression-molding system according to the exemplary embodiment canstably mass produce molded products having a desired quality under acondition where the molding machine has already been in the operation.The compression-molding system may, however, produce a molded producthaving defective quality during a period immediately after the stoppedmolding machine starts, specifically, immediately after starting arotation of the table 31 and the punch retaining portions 32 and 33,filling the die bores 4 with the powdery materials by the feeder X, andcompression molding the powdery materials in the die bores 4 by theupper and lower punches 5 and 6. For example, the molded product may nothave required hardness or density, or may have segregation of contents,binding, sticking, or capping.

In view of this, the controller C according to the exemplary embodimentcauses, upon the start of the molding machine being stopped, thepowdery-material feeding device Z to supply the feeder X with apredetermined amount of the powdery materials while stopping therotation of the table 31 and the punch retaining portions 32 and 33,filling the die bores 4 with the powdery materials by the feeder X, andcompression molding the powdery materials in the die bores 4 by theupper and lower punches 5 and 6, and then starts the molding machine.Before the molding machine is started, the appropriately mixed-powderymaterials are preliminarily fed in the feeder X to mostly orsubstantially entirely occupy volume of the feeder X, and areaccumulated, if necessary, to reach a certain level in the feed pipe 191positioned just above the feeder X. The molding machine is started inthis state, to cause the rotation of the table 31 and the punchretaining portions 32 and 33, filling the die bores 4 with the powderymaterials by the feeder X (including rotation of the agitating rotorincorporated in the agitated feeder X), and compression molding thepowdery materials in the die bores 4 by the upper and lower punches 5and 6. At least a certain amount of the mixed-powdery materials may beadditionally accumulated in the powdery-material mixing degreemeasurement device M and/or the buffer tank Z3 b positioned upstream ofthe feeder X. Such preparation leads to production of molded productssecured to have required quality from the period immediately after themolding machine starts.

Assume that the powdery-material feeding device Z supplies the feeder Xwith the powdery materials having an amount from 500 cc to 1000 ccbefore the molding machine starts. The powdery-material feeding device Zmay deliver the predetermined amount of the powdery materials to thefeeder X in batches or at one time.

In the case where the powdery-material feeding device Z delivers thepredetermined amount of the mixed-powdery materials in batches, thepredetermined amount of the powdery materials, to be supplied to thefeeder X before the molding machine starts, are divided to two to fourportions. If the predetermined amount is from 500 cc to 1000 cc, thenthe batch or the amount of single feed is set to about 200 cc. As shownexemplarily in FIG. 21, the plurality of types of powdery materials asconstituent materials for a molded product is then discharged from themeasuring feeders Z1 a, Z1 b, and Z1 b such that the powdery materialshave required ratios (particularly, weight ratios of the powderymaterials fed from the measuring feeders Z1 a, Z1 b, and Z1 b per unittime (flow rates) are adjusted to have the required ratios), as well assuch that the total of the powdery materials is about 200 cc as thebatch. In addition, the mixers Z3 a and Z4 are started to mix thepowdery materials discharged from the measuring feeders Z1 a, Z1 b, andZ1 b, and simultaneously deliver the powdery materials to the mixer Z3 bprovided as the buffer tank (i.e., step S1). When about 200 cc of themixed-powdery materials reach the buffer tank Z3 b, the measuringfeeders Z1 a, Z1 b, and Z1 b and the mixers Z3 a and Z4 are once stopped(i.e., step S2), the mixer Z3 b and the powdery-material mixing degreemeasurement device M are started in the state, and about 200 cc of thepowdery materials are delivered to the feed pipe 191 and then to thefeeder X (i.e., step S3). The mixer Z3 b and the powdery-material mixingdegree measurement device M are subsequently stopped (i.e., step S4),the measuring feeders Z1 a, Z1 b, and Z1 b, and the mixers Z3 a and Z4are started again, and about 200 cc of the powdery materials aredischarged to be simultaneously mixed and delivered to the mixer Z3 b(i.e., step S1). The measuring feeders Z1 a, Z1 b, and Z1 b, and themixers Z3 a and Z4 are subsequently stopped again (i.e., step S2), themixers Z3 b and the powdery-material mixing degree measurement device Mare restarted, and about 200 cc of the powdery materials are deliveredto the feed pipe 191 and then to the feeder X (i.e., step S3). The aboveprocedure (i.e., step S1 to step S4) is repeated (i.e., step S5) arequired number of times to feed the feed pipe 191 and the feeder X withthe predetermined amount of the powdery materials.

Step S1 and step S2 are not limited to include simultaneouslydischarging (about 200 cc in total of) the powdery materials from themeasuring feeders Z1 a, Z1 b, and Z1 b, and simultaneously mixing anddelivering the powdery materials collectively to the buffer tank Z3 b.For example, the measuring feeder Z1 b, the mixers Z3 a, Z4, and Z3 b,and the powdery-material mixing degree measurement device M are stopped,and the measuring feeders Z1 a and Z1 b are started to discharge thepowdery materials to be included in the batch. The total amount of thepowdery materials discharged one time from the measuring feeders Z1 aand Z1 b is equal to the amount obtained by subtracting the amount ofthe powdery material discharged one time from the measuring feeder Z1 bfrom about 200 cc as the batch. The measuring feeders Z1 a and Z1 b arethen stopped, and the mixer Z3 a is started almost simultaneously to mixthe powdery materials discharged from the measuring feeders Z1 a and Z1b and joined at the mixer Z3 a. Furthermore, the measuring feeder Z1 band the mixer Z4 are started, so that an additional powdery material isdischarged from the measuring feeder Z1 b and about 200 cc of all themixed-powdery materials are simultaneously delivered to the mixer Z3 bserving as a buffer tank (i.e., step S1). The amount of the powderymaterial discharged one time from the measuring feeder Z1 b is obviouslyequal to the amount obtained by subtracting, from about 200 cc, theamounts of the powdery materials discharged one time from the measuringfeeders Z1 a and Z1 b. The measuring feeder Z1 b and the mixers Z3 a andZ4 are subsequently stopped (i.e., step S2), the mixer Z3 b and thepowdery-material mixing degree measurement device M are started, andabout 200 cc of the powdery materials are delivered to the feed pipe 191and then to the feeder X (i.e., step S3). The mixer Z3 b and thepowdery-material mixing degree measurement device M are subsequentlystopped (i.e., step S4), and the measuring feeders Z1 a and Z1 b arerestarted. The above procedure (i.e., step S1 to step S4) is repeated(i.e., step S5) a required number of times to feed the feed pipe 191 andthe feeder X with the predetermined amount of the powdery materials.

In order to deliver the predetermined amount of the powdery materials atone time from the powdery-material feeding device Z to the feeder X, theplurality of types of powdery materials, as constituent materials for amolded product, is discharged from the measuring feeders Z1 a, Z1 b, andZ1 b reserving the powdery materials such that the powdery materialshave the required ratios and the total of the powdery materials is equalto the predetermined amount. The mixers Z3 a, Z4, and Z3 b and thepowdery-material mixing degree measurement device M are also started tosimultaneously mix and deliver the predetermined amount of the powderymaterials discharged from the measuring feeders Z1 a, Z1 b, and Z1 b tothe feed pipe 191 and then to the feeder X.

When the powdery-material feeding device Z supplies the feeder X withthe powdery materials while the molding machine is stopped, theagitating rotor incorporated in the agitated feeder X may be keptstopped or may keep rotating. The agitating rotor is rotated not inorder to actively fill the die bores 4 of the table 31 being stoppedwith the powdery materials but in order to fill the powdery materials inthe feeder X as evenly as possible. In the case where the agitatingrotor rotates while the molding machine is stopped, the agitating rotormay have a rotational speed lower than the rotational speed forsequentially filling, with the powdery materials, the die bores 4 of therotating table 31 in the molding machine in the operation, or theagitating rotor may be rotated only by a rotation angle or a number oftimes smaller than the rotation angle or the number of times for themolding machine in the operation. The feeder X, embodied as a gravityfeeder, does not include any agitating rotor.

After the molding machine is started to produce a molded product (i.e.,step S6), obviously, the powdery-material feeding device Z continuouslyor intermittently feeds the feeder X with the mixed-powdery materials asusual.

The exemplary embodiment provides a compression-molding system includinga compression-molding machine including a table 31 having a verticallypenetrating die bore 4, a filling device X facing the die bore 4 of thetable 31 and configured to be displaced relatively to the table 31 andfill, with a powdery material, the die bore 4 passing vertically belowthe filling device, and an upper punch 5 and a lower punch 6 configuredto compress the powdery material filled in the die bore 4 to obtain amolded product, and a powdery-material feeding device Z configured tofeed, with a powdery material, the filling device X in the moldingmachine in an operation, in which upon start of the molding machinehaving stopped a relative displacement of the filling device X to thetable 31 and stopped a compression of the powdery material by the upperpunch 5 and the lower punch 6, the powdery-material feeding device Zpreliminarily supplies the filling device X with a predetermined amountof a powdery material while stopping the relative displacement of thefilling device X and the compression by the upper punch 5 and the lowerpunch 6, and the molding machine is subsequently started to cause therelative displacement of the filling device X and the compression by theupper punch 5 and the lower punch 6. The exemplary embodiment achievesproduction of a molded product having a required quality from the periodimmediately after the molding machine starts.

Optionally, upon start of the molding machine being stopped, thepowdery-material feeding device Z supplies the filling device X with thepredetermined amount of the powdery material in batches and the moldingmachine is subsequently started. The powdery material supplied to thefilling device X before the molding machine starts is agitated or mixedsufficiently, and defectiveness of the molded product can be morereliably avoided during the period immediately after the molding machinestarts.

The powdery-material feeding device Z is configured to continuously orintermittently feed the filling device X with mixed-powdery materialsincluding a plurality of types of powdery materials, while the moldingmachine is in an operation, without stopping a relative displacement ofthe filling device X and a compression by the upper punch 5 and thelower punch 6, and upon start of the molding machine being stopped, thepowdery-material feeding device Z supplies the filling device X with apredetermined amount of the mixed-powdery materials including theplurality of types of the powdery materials, and the molding machine issubsequently started. A molded product made of a constituent material asa mixture of the plurality of types of powdery materials and havingrequired quality can be produced from the period immediately after themolding machine starts.

The powdery-material feeding device Z includes a measuring feeder Z1 aconfigured to store and discharge a powdery material serving as aprincipal agent, and a separate measuring feeder Z1 b configured tostore and discharge an additive, other than the principal agent, addedto the principal agent, and is configured to mix the principal agent andthe additive at predetermined ratios to feed the filling device X, andupon start of the molding machine being stopped, the powdery-materialfeeding device Z supplies the filling device X with a predeterminedamount of powdery materials including the principal agent and theadditive mixed at the predetermined ratios, and the molding machine issubsequently started. This system achieves efficient production of amolded product such as a pharmaceutical tablet having appropriatecontent ratios of the principal agent and the additive. The measuringfeeder Z1 a, configured to discharge the principal agent, and themeasuring feeder Z1 b, configured to discharge the excipient, aredisposed side by side laterally. The measuring feeders Z1 a and Z1 bdischarge the principal agent and the excipient at predetermined ratios,and these powdery materials join and drop vertically to be appropriatelymixed by the mixer Z3 a.

The exemplary invention is not limited to the embodiment detailed above.If the principal agent, the excipient, or the like, and the internallubricant, configuring a molded product, are agitated and mixed for anextremely long period in the powdery-material feeding device Z, then thelubricant may coat particles of the principal agent and the excipient orthe like to reduce a binding force of the mixed-powdery materialscompressed and tableted by the molding machine, and may adversely affecta quality of the molded product such as a delayed elution of theprincipal agent when the completed-molded product is taken.

In view of this, the measuring feeder Z1 c, configured to discharge thelubricant, is preferred to be disposed as low as possible to be closerto the filling device X in the molding machine as shown exemplarily inFIG. 22, to shorten time to mix the lubricant to obtain themixed-powdery materials to be fed to the filling device X. As shownexemplarily in this figure, the measuring feeder Z1 b is connected tothe powdery-material mixing degree measurement device M disposeddownstream of the mixers Z3 a, Z4, and Z3 b in the powdery-materialfeeding device Z and upstream of the feed pipe 191, so that thelubricant is supplied to the powdery-material mixing degree measurementdevice M and is joined to the principal agent and the excipient, or thelike in the feed pipe 191. The filling device X functions as an agitatedfeeder incorporating an agitating rotor, and the principal agent, theexcipient, or the like, and the lubricant are agitated by the agitatingrotor of the agitated feeder X to be mixed sufficiently. In other words,the principal agent, the excipient or the like, and the lubricant arenot agitated or mixed in the powdery-material feeding device Z. In acase where the buffer tank Z3 b is provided as a tank not having thefunction of agitating and mixing a powdery material, the measuringfeeder Z1 b can be connected to the buffer tank Z3 b and the lubricantcan be supplied to the buffer tank Z3 b to join the principal agent andthe excipient or the like. In either one of the cases, it is obviousthat, upon a start of the molding machine being stopped, the measuringfeeders Z1 a, Z1 b, and Z1 c of the powdery-material feeding device Zpreliminarily supply the filling device X with the predetermined amountof the powdery materials while stopping a relative displacement of thefilling device X and a compression by the upper and lower punches 5 and6, and the molding machine is subsequently started to cause the relativedisplacement of the filling device X and the compression by the upperand lower punches 5 and 6. The powdery materials can be supplied to thefilling device X in batches from the measuring feeders Z1 a, Z1 b, andZ1 c (particularly from the measuring feeder Z1 a and the measuringfeeder Z1 b) in this case.

The specific configuration of each portion can be modified within therange not departing from the purpose of the exemplary invention.

The descriptions of the various exemplary embodiments of the presentinvention have been presented for purposes of illustration, but are notintended to be exhaustive or limited to the embodiments disclosed. Manymodifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skillin the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the describedembodiments. The terminology used herein was chosen to best explain theprinciples of the embodiments, the practical application or technicalimprovement over technologies found in the marketplace, or to enableothers of ordinary skill in the art to understand the embodimentsdisclosed herein.

Further, Applicant's intent is to encompass the equivalents of all claimelements, and no amendment to any claim of the present applicationshould be construed as a disclaimer of any interest in or right to anequivalent of any element or feature of the amended claim.

What is claimed is:
 1. A compression-molding system, comprising: a compression-molding machine including a table comprising a vertically penetrating die bore, a filling device including an agitating rotor facing the die bore of the table and configured to be displaced with respect to the table and to fill, with a powdery material, the die bore passing vertically below the filling device, and an upper punch and a lower punch configured to compress the powdery material filled in the die bore to obtain a molded product; a powdery-material feeding device configured to feed, with the powdery material, the filling device in the molding machine in an operation; and a controller controlling the compressing-molding machine and the powdery-material feeding device, wherein, the controller is configured to control, upon a start of the molding machine, having stopped the displacement of the filling device with respect to the table and stopped a compression of the powdery material by the upper punch and the lower punch, the powdery-material feeding device to preliminarily supply the filling device with a predetermined amount of the powdery material from the powdery-material feeding device while stopping the displacement of the filling device and the compression by the upper punch and the lower punch, and the molding machine is subsequently started to cause the displacement of the filling device and the compression by the upper punch and the lower punch, wherein, the controller is configured to control, after the molding machine is stopped, the filling device to rotate the agitating rotor with a rotational speed that is less than the rotational speed of the agitating rotor in a sequentially filling, with the powdery material, the die bore of the table in the molding machine in the operation, and wherein the controller is configured to control the powdery-material feeding device to continuously or intermittently feed the filling device with mixed-powdery materials including a plurality of types of powdery materials while the molding machine is in the operation without stopping the displacement of the filling device and the compression by the upper punch and the lower punch.
 2. The compression-molding system according to claim 1, wherein, upon the start of the molding machine being stopped, the controller is configured to cause the powdery-material feeding device to supply the filling device with the predetermined amount of the powdery material in batches and the molding machine is subsequently started.
 3. The compression-molding system according to claim 1, wherein, upon the start of the molding machine being stopped, the controller is configured to cause the powdery-material feeding device to supply the filling device with a predetermined amount of the mixed-powdery materials including the plurality of types of the powdery materials, and the molding machine is subsequently started.
 4. The compression-molding system according to claim 3, wherein the powdery-material feeding device includes a measuring feeder configured to store and discharge the powdery material serving as a principal agent, and a separate measuring feeder configured to store and discharge an additive to the principal agent, and is configured to mix the principal agent and the additive at predetermined ratios to feed the filling device, and wherein, upon the start of the molding machine being stopped, the controller is configured to cause the powdery-material feeding device to supply the filling device with a predetermined amount of powdery materials including the principal agent and the additive mixed at the predetermined ratios, and the molding machine is subsequently started.
 5. The compression-molding system according to claim 2, wherein the powdery-material feeding device is configured to continuously or intermittently feed the filling device with mixed-powdery materials including a plurality of types of powdery materials while the molding machine is in the operation without stopping the displacement of the filling device and the compression by the upper punch and the lower punch, and wherein, upon the start of the molding machine being stopped, the controller is configured to cause the powdery-material feeding device supplies the filling device with a predetermined amount of the mixed-powdery materials including the plurality of types of the powdery materials, and the molding machine is subsequently started.
 6. The compression-molding system according to claim 5, wherein the powdery-material feeding device includes a measuring feeder configured to store and discharge the powdery material serving as a principal agent, and a separate measuring feeder configured to store and discharge an additive to the principal agent, and is configured to mix the principal agent and the additive at predetermined ratios to feed the filling device, and wherein, upon the start of the molding machine being stopped, the controller is configured to cause the powdery-material feeding device to supply the filling device with a predetermined amount of powdery materials including the principal agent and the additive mixed at the predetermined ratios, and the molding machine is subsequently started.
 7. The compression-molding system according to claim 1, wherein the powdery-material feeding device is configured to continuously feed the filling device with mixed-powdery materials including a plurality of types of powdery materials while the molding machine is in the operation without stopping the displacement of the filling device and the compression by the upper punch and the lower punch.
 8. The compression-molding system according to claim 1, wherein the powdery-material feeding device is configured to intermittently feed the filling device with mixed-powdery materials including a plurality of types of powdery materials while the molding machine is in the operation without stopping the displacement of the filling device and the compression by the upper punch and the lower punch.
 9. The compression-molding system according to claim 1, wherein the powdery-material feeding device includes a measuring feeder configured to store and discharge the powdery material serving as a principal agent, and another measuring feeder configured to store and discharge an additive to the principal agent, the powdery-material feeding device being configured to mix the principal agent and the additive at predetermined ratios to feed the filling device.
 10. The compression-molding system according to claim 9, wherein, upon the start of the molding machine being stopped, the controller is configured to cause the powdery-material feeding device to supply the filling device with a predetermined amount of powdery materials including the principal agent and the additive mixed at the predetermined ratios, and the molding machine is subsequently started.
 11. A compression-molding machine connected to a powdery-material feeding device, the compression-molding machine comprising: a table comprising a die bore; a filling device including an agitating rotor facing the die bore and configured to be displaced with respect to the table and to fill, with a powdery material, the die bore passing below the filling device; an upper punch and a lower punch configured to compress the powdery material filled in the die bore to obtain a molded product; and a controller configured to control the filling device, the upper punch and the lower punch, wherein the powdery-material feeding device is configured to feed, with the powdery material, the filling device in the molding machine in an operation, and wherein, the controller is configured to control, upon a start of the molding machine, having stopped the displacement of the filling device with respect to the table and stopped a compression of the powdery material by the upper punch and the lower punch, the powdery-material feeding device to preliminarily supply the filling device with a predetermined amount of the powdery material from the powdery-material feeding device while stopping the displacement of the filling device and the compression by the upper punch and the lower punch, and the molding machine is subsequently started to cause the displacement of the filling device and the compression by the upper punch and the lower punch, wherein, the controller is configured to control, after the molding machine is stopped, the filling device to rotate the agitating rotor with a rotational speed that is less than the rotational speed of the agitating rotor in a sequentially filling, with the powdery material, the die bore of the table in the molding machine in the operation, and wherein, the controller is configured to control the powdery-material feeding device to continuously or intermittently feed the filling device with mixed-powdery materials including a plurality of types of powdery materials while the molding machine is in the operation without stopping the displacement of the filling device and the compression by the upper punch and the lower punch.
 12. The compression-molding machine according to claim 11, wherein, upon the start of the molding machine being stopped, the controller is configured to cause the powdery-material feeding device to supply the filling device with the predetermined amount of the powdery material in batches and the molding machine is subsequently started. 